tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74903084087528588562018-05-17T08:53:26.167+01:00Mid-Life Cancer CrisisIn July 2012, at the age of 38, I was given the devastating news that I had advanced ovarian cancer. This is my blog and the story of my fight to regain my health. I hope to share with you things that I've found helpful along my journey and keep you posted on my progress.Beata Cinklernoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-18934630034493045072015-10-09T11:08:00.000+01:002016-01-03T19:25:32.881+00:00No More Pain and SufferingThis is John, Beata's husband.<br /><br />I am so very sad to share with you the news that my beloved wife Beata passed away yesterday, bringing to a close her 3 year battle with cancer. She showed the most amazing strength and courage during her fight with her illness and touched so many people's hearts with her grace, beauty and beautiful spirit. It has been so heartbreaking to witness her suffer and to lose the person who has brought so much happiness and light into my life over the last 4 years, but I am relieved that she is now at peace and is no longer living with the burdens of fear and pain. I will be eternally grateful that she came into my life and that she gave me one of the most precious things she had – her time. I could not have asked for a more loving and special person to share my life with – we made a great team, had an amazing journey together and I will miss her so very much.<br /><br />If you are reading cancer blogs like this one looking for hope, as Beata and I did many times, please do not dispair that this story has a sad ending - what may not have worked for Beata may still work for you and new treatments are always in the pipeline.&nbsp; If someone reaches out to you and offers you hope, don't be put off by the doom mongers who dismiss this as false hope - there is no such thing as false hope, only false abandonment of hope.&nbsp; Let nobody put a timeframe on your life or tell you that death from your disease is inevitable. Keep up the fight and relish the gift of life.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vnMrmXndiQY/VheQcJN5dnI/AAAAAAAAAW4/nk--l7O9I7g/s1600/Beata1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vnMrmXndiQY/VheQcJN5dnI/AAAAAAAAAW4/nk--l7O9I7g/s320/Beata1.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q0-XJQLsIDI/VheQcOXDb3I/AAAAAAAAAW8/4UHYNbq1npQ/s1600/Beata2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q0-XJQLsIDI/VheQcOXDb3I/AAAAAAAAAW8/4UHYNbq1npQ/s320/Beata2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Beata Piears : 3 May 1974 – 8 October 2015</div><br /><br /><h3>Dying for a Cure</h3><br />Over the last 3 years Beata and I learnt a great deal about cancer and some of the problems with the way Society is trying to tackle it.&nbsp; One person dies of cancer somewhere in the world every 8 seconds, yet drug companies make over $100bn a year from selling cancer drugs and have the highest profit margins of any major industry in the world.&nbsp; This scale of profiteering from human suffering is morally incomprehensible. Cancer has become one of the most lucrative business opportunities on the planet, so faced with conflicts of interest like this there is little incentive for drug companies to hurry up with developing cures.&nbsp; As one researcher put it, "we may be winning the war on cancer but we're not winning it fast".<br /><br />I wanted to do my bit to help raise awareness of these issues so have published an article on Huffington Post that is also partly a tribute to Beata:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/john-piears/cancer-deaths-uk_b_8761194.html" target="_blank">One UK Cancer Death Every Three Minutes - We're Dying for a Cure</a>"</div><br /><h3>Kilomanjaro for Cancer</h3><br />Since Beata passed away in October I’ve been thinking about something fitting that I could do in her memory that would also allow me to give something back to the charities that helped her.&nbsp; I wanted to do something significant that reflected the scale of the challenge she faced and also the courage and determination that she showed during her fight.&nbsp; So, I am planning to try to climb the world’s tallest freestanding mountain – Mount Kilomanjaro!<br /><br />A good friend of mine has agreed to join me in this quest and next September we will both be setting off for a 10 day expedition to the summit of Kilomanjaro, 6km above sea level, where the air has less than half the amount of oxygen we’re used to and where temperatures can be as low as -25°C.&nbsp; We’ll be hiking through four climatic zones to get there, starting off in temperatures about 30°C.&nbsp; Each day of the ascent we’ll be drinking around 5 litres of water a day to keep hydrated and burning around 5000 Calories a day of food and fat!<br /><br />Between now and September we’ll be doing a lot of training to get fit and also trying to raise money for the two charities that helped Beata the most - <i>Yes to Life</i> and the <i>Princess Alice Hospice</i>.&nbsp; We’re both paying for our own costs, so all the money we raise will go to the charities.<br /><br />If you’d like to sponsor me you can do this through my fundraising page on Virgin Money Giving:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SomeoneSpecial/Beata"><span style="font-size: medium;">http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SomeoneSpecial/Beata</span></a></div><br />Thank you all for your support.&nbsp; Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-39081202187357238052015-05-22T15:33:00.000+01:002015-05-22T15:33:04.891+01:00Reluctantly Starting Treatment AgainHi everybody,<br /><br />I’ve come to another turning point in my story, so I just wanted to give you an update.<br /><br />As I mentioned in a previous post, my cancer has been growing rapidly again since January and I’ve been considering what my next move should be.&nbsp; My latest blood test showed that my tumour marker has now risen to 1805 – a long way from the ‘normal’ range of 35 or less, so reluctantly I know I’m going to have to start some form of treatment very soon.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WhEHXSDuYcs/VV5TEjCUUXI/AAAAAAAAAWg/QHdV72kkfX8/s1600/NewDrug.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WhEHXSDuYcs/VV5TEjCUUXI/AAAAAAAAAWg/QHdV72kkfX8/s320/NewDrug.gif" width="284" /></a></div>I’ve been looking into all the options and sadly none of them are very appealing, so I wanted to take a few weeks to think things through before committing to something.&nbsp;&nbsp; Standard treatment for someone in my situation is weekly chemotherapy but only about 30% of people respond to this.&nbsp; Also, 100% of people suffer from damage to their immune system as a side effect.&nbsp; As I feel that my immune system is key to any chance I have of beating this awful disease, I want to do all I can to protect it.<br /><br />So, I’ve also been looking into clinical trials of new drugs to see if there any better alternatives.&nbsp; There are only two trials that I’m eligible for.&nbsp; Both are trials of new targeted drugs that help to stop the cancer growing further, without damaging the immune system, but neither would get rid of the cancer and both carry risks of other serious side effects.<br /><br />Another thing I've been looking into a new surgical technique called <a href="http://www.theprincessgracehospital.com/hospital-services/services/nanoknife/" target="_blank">Nanoknife</a>, where surgeons electrocute tumours by zapping them with 3000 volts!&nbsp; This is a really new technique and is only available at one private hospital in the UK.&nbsp; When I initially enquired about it, the Professor in charge said that I was a suitable candidate for it but my latest scan showed that my disease had progressed and unfortunately they told me that I was no longer eligible.&nbsp; I was really disappointed as this had seemed like a great option, with no real side effects and good success rates.<br /><br />I’m also still desperately trying to raise money for other treatments privately and abroad that may help me: high dose intravenous vitamin C, Ayurveda medicine and the sono-photo dynamic therapy in Mexico with herbal infusions.&nbsp; All of this is still beyond my means at the moment, so I’ve made a decision to go ahead with one of the NHS clinical trials (called <a href="http://www.onyx.com/view.cfm/424/onyx-pharmaceuticals-initiates-phase-1-study-of-onx-0801-in-advanced-solid-tumors" target="_blank">ONX 0801</a>) and should be starting treatment on 26th May.<br /><br />The trial involves me having infusions of the drug once a fortnight.&nbsp; I’ll have to be at the hospital all day once a week for them to give me the drug and to monitor me and stay overnight initially when the first give me the drug.&nbsp; I can only have it for a maximum of 6 months, as it can cause lung damage and is not considered safe beyond this (previous tests of the drug at higher doses caused serious lung problems and fatalities). Unfortunately, none of this is very encouraging but I think this is the best option I have right now.&nbsp; I’ve had a port implanted in my chest, so that they can use it to deliver the drugs and take blood without having to stab me with needles every time!&nbsp; This was done under general anaesthetic a couple of weeks ago.&nbsp; It’s still a bit uncomfortable but I’m getting used to it now. And I’ve passed the screening, so I’m all set and ready to go next week.<br /><br />Meanwhile, as I know that I can only stay on this trial for a maximum of 6 months, I’ve already started researching what to do next!<br /><br /><br />I’m quite anxious at the moment with everything that’s going on, as there are so many uncertainties – I’m the kind of person who likes to know what is happening all the time and I find it very difficult with cancer and all the treatments, as I don’t have any control over them. Everything is always ‘wait and see’.<br /><br />One last thing....my husband (it’s so strange to call him that but give me a very fulfilling feeling in my heart) has been continuing with his campaigning to encourage the Government to <b>Do More for Cancer</b>.&nbsp; He has recently had an article published by Huffington Post entitled “<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/john-piears/cancer-treatment_b_7230014.html" target="_blank">The UK Has Cancer - And It’s Spreading Fast, Like...a Cancer!</a>”.&nbsp; He has also had two replies from a letter he sent to all the main political party leaders – one from Nicola Sturgeon (Leader of the SNP) and one from Prince Charles, who he copied on the letter!&nbsp; You can read the letters here:<br /><br /><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MogHysJH9wZjZ3SkpzamUtbnc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Reply from Nicola Sturgeon (Leader of the SNP)</a><br /><br /><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MogHysJH9wYWpBZnBzYlV0NG8/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Reply from Prince Charles</a><br /><br />If you haven’t already done so, please help us by signing our petition on change.org to <a href="https://www.change.org/p/uk-government-do-more-for-cancer" target="_blank">urge the UK Government to Do More for Cancer</a>.<br /><br />And if you feel you are able to <a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/beatacinkler" target="_blank">make a donation to my fundraising appeal</a>, I would be very grateful.Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-27496776595824877672015-04-21T11:26:00.000+01:002015-05-02T08:27:44.983+01:00Do More for CancerHi Everybody,<br /><br />Just a quick note to say that my husband John has written a <b>letter to all the main political party leaders</b>, urging them to set more ambitious targets, to be bolder in tackling the barriers to progress and to give cancer a much higher priority.&nbsp; You can read John's letter to the Party Leaders here:&nbsp; <br /><br /><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MogHysJH9wUjRTXzdUSHl1Y2s/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Letter to Party Leaders urging UK Governement to Do More for Cancer</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.midlifecancercrisis.com/p/cancer-where-are-we-going-wrong.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fSC8VTFtelw/VSrECwKetuI/AAAAAAAAAU4/TPdrAD1CLAs/s1600/ArticleSidebar.gif" /></a>In an attempt to offer constructive suggestions, he has sent them a copy of an article that he has written entitled “<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MogHysJH9wdmlrY0VHbkhaWE0/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><b>Cancer – Where are we going wrong?</b></a>”, which offers a carer’s perspective on cancer care in the UK and where he feels our management of cancer is sub-optimal and could be improved. You can see an online copy of the article on my website by clicking on the link on the right or you can read the PDF version sent to the Party Leaders here:<br /><br /><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MogHysJH9wdmlrY0VHbkhaWE0/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Article sent to Party Leaders : Cancer - Where are we going wrong?</a><br /><br /><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Support our Petition - Do More for Cancer</h3><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.change.org/p/uk-government-do-more-for-cancer" title="Please sign our petition - it only takes a minute" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--78KWRcDdVA/VUR8KkfWLxI/AAAAAAAAAWI/9pinEjQsEJk/s1600/PetitionSidebar.gif" /></a></div><a href="https://www.change.org/p/uk-government-do-more-for-cancer" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Please sign our petition - it only takes a minute"></a><br />If you believe that the Government should be aiming higher and setting bolder targets for improving cancer care, <b>please support our petition</b> to urge the Government to <b>do more for cancer</b> (#domoreforcancer).<br /><br />You can <b>sign the petition</b> at : <a href="https://www.change.org/p/uk-goverment-do-more-for-cancer" target="_blank">https://www.change.org/p/uk-goverment-do-more-for-cancer&nbsp;</a><br /><br />Please also help us by telling your friends and family about this initiative - the more we publicise this the more influence it will have. Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-26866873624450836252015-04-21T08:30:00.001+01:002015-04-21T08:30:12.205+01:00Waiting for treatment – the impatient patient!Hi everybody,<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YSIWJSV05hw/VTV2vinPYsI/AAAAAAAAAVU/v2L_yN-eC4o/s1600/Impatient.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YSIWJSV05hw/VTV2vinPYsI/AAAAAAAAAVU/v2L_yN-eC4o/s1600/Impatient.gif" /></a></div><br /><span id="goog_1448610015"></span><span id="goog_1448610016"></span>A month has gone by since my last post, so I wanted to give you a quick update on what’s been happening.<br /><br />The short answer is that I am still waiting for my next treatment to start and things are moving along at a frustratingly slow pace.&nbsp; I am due to have a port inserted into my chest, which they can use to give me the new trial drug that I’m hopefully going to be having and also to take blood.&nbsp; The surgery for this is scheduled for the 27th April and has to be done under general anaesthetic, but I’m hoping that I won’t have to spend the night in hospital. <br /><br />I am seeing the Drug development Unit at the Royal Marsden on Friday 24th April to discuss the screening and other arrangements for the trial and hope to start it in early May.&nbsp; I am still not 100% sure if I’m going to qualify for it, so I’m becoming a bit anxious, as it seems to be taking a long time to organise.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-abSPZcxP6K0/VTV5AgTBxdI/AAAAAAAAAVo/I2K4R8x0oss/s1600/rawfood.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-abSPZcxP6K0/VTV5AgTBxdI/AAAAAAAAAVo/I2K4R8x0oss/s1600/rawfood.gif" /></a></div><br />In the meantime I’ve decided to change my diet again to be stricter with foods that I think will support my body’s natural defences.&nbsp; I’m now on a raw food diet, which I’ve not done before.&nbsp;&nbsp; I thought this might be quite hard to do but I’m actually finding it easier than I thought.&nbsp; For breakfast I am having a pint of green juice, a small bowl of berries and occasionally a kiwi fruit.&nbsp; Around mid-morning I have another pint of green juice and then for lunch I make a big organic superfood smoothie, which contains about 16 ingredients, including kale, avocado, some fruits, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, protein powder, unsweetened almond milk, distilled water and some super foods like spirulina and goji berries.&nbsp; I usually finish this by 2pm and then fast until the next morning (around 18 hours).&nbsp; I am hoping that this will help to detox my body and get rid of a little extra weight at the same time!&nbsp; The good news is that I feel good on the new diet, so I’m pleased about that.<br /><br />It’s also now just over a month since John and I got married.&nbsp; I am pleased to report that married life is going well!&nbsp; Of course not a lot has changed on a day to day basis, but the fact that I now have a wedding ring and that we are pledged and committed to each other means a lot to me.&nbsp; I am still in the process of changing my name on various documents.&nbsp; It’s quite difficult to get used to my new surname, as it’s a big change for me after 40 years with the old one, but I am enjoying being a “Mrs”!<br /><br />I’ll update you again when I know more about the clinical trial.&nbsp; I'm also hoping to be able to report soon on an article that John has been writing about issues with cancer care in the UK.<br /><br />Thank you for all your ongoing support.&nbsp; Please feel free to get in touch with me or post any comments below.<br /><br />Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-56276299405815987382015-03-21T08:22:00.002+00:002015-04-12T17:15:55.265+01:00Chemo ‘Hiss’, Wedding BlissHi everybody,<br /><br />Sorry it’s been a while since I updated you. Here’s what’s been happening.<br /><br />As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently went to see a practitioner in Cardiff who uses techniques from Brandon Bays’ well known book, “The Journey”.&nbsp; I had 3 sessions in total over 3 days.&nbsp;&nbsp; I found the whole experience quite emotional but it did help me to come to some realisations and I’m very pleased that I did it.&nbsp; Even though I didn't have a massive breakthrough, I'm happy with what I've got out of it. Thanks to these sessions I had couple of blissful days where I felt only gratitude and love during the whole day.&nbsp; It was absolutely amazing and unforgettable.<br /><br />I have also been to Germany to try an immunotherapy treatment called immunepheresis. I was there for three weeks. Although the clinic has had a lot of success with this treatment, unfortunately it did not work for me.&nbsp;&nbsp; In fact when I checked my tumour marker three weeks after I came back, it had gone up to 4 times its previous level.&nbsp; I also had another CT scan recently and this confirmed that the cancer has grown. I was very disappointed, as you can imagine, as I really did feel that this could help me, but I think my immune system was simply too weak after all the chemo I’ve had.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7iZf-LlakPI/VQyPsMyuCcI/AAAAAAAAAP4/hh_m3joPgmc/s1600/ChemoSideEffectCauses.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7iZf-LlakPI/VQyPsMyuCcI/AAAAAAAAAP4/hh_m3joPgmc/s320/ChemoSideEffectCauses.png" /></a></div>The only approved treatment available to me now under the NHS is more chemo, this time given once a week at smaller doses instead of once a month, but I really don’t want to have more chemo – while this may reduce the cancer again in the short term it will also cause even more damage to my healthy cells, reducing even more the chances of long-term remission.&nbsp; Plus the side-effects are likely to make me feel very ill for much of the time, as well as causing me to lose my hair again. <br /><br />So, I’m looking into other options.&nbsp; I asked to be referred to the Drug Development Unit at the Royal Marsden, which conducts very early trials of new drugs, some of which have never been tested in humans before.&nbsp; They have come up with a suggested trial for me to participate in which would involve weekly infusions over the next 6 months.&nbsp; There are risks with the trial but the treatment seems much less toxic and damaging than chemo, so I am seriously considering this.&nbsp; The doctors don’t expect it to work long-term though, but hopefully it would give me some more time to try to raise the money I need for the other more promising options that I’ve been looking into abroad.<br /><br />I also arranged an appointment at The Royal Surrey hospital to see what clinical trials they had available to me.&nbsp; There was one trial going on there that I thought I might be eligible for.&nbsp; This was a trial of an immunotherapy treatment that uses a virus to fight the cancer. Unfortunately, it turned out that I was not eligible for that particular trial. So that leaves me with only one option under the NHS and that is the Drug Development Unit trial at Royal Marsden.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9HpKSVxNrHo/VQyUJ5lqpGI/AAAAAAAAAQE/vwCcj9lfa-g/s1600/Wedding1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9HpKSVxNrHo/VQyUJ5lqpGI/AAAAAAAAAQE/vwCcj9lfa-g/s1600/Wedding1.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a>In the meantime I got married! Hooray ;-))<br /><br />The big day came and now I am taken :-)) I have to say it was such a lovely and perfect day. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Everything was just as I wanted it to be. I was very nervous on the day, as I had a lot of things to do that I had planned out, but everything worked out perfectly. The wedding was very small and intimate and it was very emotional. We were lucky enough that a small group from the Rock Choir sang a song at the ceremony, as my husband is member of the Guildford Rock Choir, and that made it even more special. The small but perfect reception had an amazing atmosphere thanks to our lovely friends and family and I am still in a dreamland as a result of everything that happened. We didn't go on a honeymoon for financial and health reasons. I really don't mind as I am just very happy and grateful that I got married and can call John my husband and became a “Mrs”.&nbsp; By the way we have decided that I will change my surname and I will take John's, so I need to get used to that ;-))<br /><br />There have been quite a few donations to my fundraising appeal since I last wrote, so I would like to take this opportunity to say a very big thank you to everyone who has helped with this. Everybody has been so generous and kind and I can't thank you all enough.<br /><br />Thank you for reading.&nbsp; I've included a few more of our wedding photos below.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qpcP-JcrJAY/VQyWM8tjjVI/AAAAAAAAAQU/WezVF8jIxvw/s1600/Wedding3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qpcP-JcrJAY/VQyWM8tjjVI/AAAAAAAAAQU/WezVF8jIxvw/s1600/Wedding3.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTfw0Xcd_lU/VQyWNDwkjwI/AAAAAAAAAQY/QV7SywUTAX8/s1600/Wedding5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTfw0Xcd_lU/VQyWNDwkjwI/AAAAAAAAAQY/QV7SywUTAX8/s1600/Wedding5.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1W6iCXFiBAk/VQyWMxhxeoI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/eO2Zchctg7s/s1600/Wedding2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1W6iCXFiBAk/VQyWMxhxeoI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/eO2Zchctg7s/s1600/Wedding2.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></div><br />Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-56931119669335565012015-01-14T23:19:00.000+00:002015-01-14T23:19:15.278+00:00On The Rise Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hSzcoKbfYLw/VLbyO-fjPtI/AAAAAAAAAO0/RQawDN_xY9w/s1600/SadFace.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hSzcoKbfYLw/VLbyO-fjPtI/AAAAAAAAAO0/RQawDN_xY9w/s1600/SadFace.gif" /></a></div>Hi everybody.<br /><br /><span id="goog_882677079"></span><span id="goog_882677080"></span>Unfortunately I have some bad news.&nbsp; I took blood again last week to measure my tumour marker and it has doubled in the last 5 weeks – it is now 73.&nbsp; I am absolutely devastated but ready for the fight.&nbsp; The hospital is arranging for me to have another CT scan to see if there are any visible tumours and I have an appointment with my consultant on 26th January to discuss the scan results and my options for further treatment under the NHS. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hxqYm7GlUc0/VLb5Jtfn5pI/AAAAAAAAAPY/tOJpvxGZM54/s1600/TheJourney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hxqYm7GlUc0/VLb5Jtfn5pI/AAAAAAAAAPY/tOJpvxGZM54/s1600/TheJourney.jpg" /></a></div>Needless to say my brain started working 100 miles per hour and I have come up with a plan.<br /><br />Just recently I read a book called ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/145166561X/?tag=midlifcancri-21" target="_blank">The Journey</a>’ from Brandon Bays and I was really fascinated by it. She developed a method where you reach your deepest self, discover what your unresolved issues are and find out on an emotional level why you are not letting go of an illness.&nbsp; A good friend of mine tracked down a practitioner in the UK who does sessions using the techniques from The Journey, so I’ve arranged to see her to see if she can help me.&nbsp; That is what I am doing this weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp; I am very excited about it and hoping I can find some answers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gdNCCy91Nuc/VLb10H5f-LI/AAAAAAAAAPM/c-gkycz-Pzo/s1600/immunotherapy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gdNCCy91Nuc/VLb10H5f-LI/AAAAAAAAAPM/c-gkycz-Pzo/s1600/immunotherapy2.jpg" /></a>Furthermore, I’ve contacted one of the clinics in Germany that I’ve been in touch with previously to arrange a date for me to go out for treatment.&nbsp;&nbsp; Thanks to all the generous donations I am able to start treatment at this clinic.&nbsp; I’ve chosen to go to the Lentz clinic, which offers a unique treatment called Immunepheresis that is only available in Germany.&nbsp; Immunepheris is an immunotherapy type treatment that helps the body’s own immune system to fight the cancer, so it is non-toxic with no side-effects.&nbsp; It works by using a dialysis machine to filter something called TNF blockers from your blood.&nbsp; TNF blockers shield cancer cells from your immune system, so by removing these, it weakens the cancer’s defences, thereby allowing white blood cells to attack the cancer.&nbsp; The treatment is proven and has got very promising results.&nbsp;&nbsp; I am trying my best to avoid chemotherapy as I have hardly recovered from the last one – after nearly 8 months of chemotherapy treatment I only had 3 months of stable disease before the cancer started growing again.<br /><br />On the other hand, the good news is, we have set a date for the big day - our wedding.&nbsp; It is scheduled in for the 14th March (this year of course).&nbsp; I am so excited about it and looking forward to becoming a “Mrs”.&nbsp; It’s going to be a very small wedding with just family and very close friends, but a very special day.&nbsp; I need to get better by then as that date cannot be changed!&nbsp; I do not want to change it. <br /><br />As you can see there’s a lot happening.&nbsp; I will keep you updated on my progress.<br /><br />Thank you for your help and generosity.<br /><br /><br />Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-43257351528881118852014-12-15T19:23:00.002+00:002014-12-15T19:23:14.961+00:00Enagaged and Stable!Hello everybody.&nbsp; A lot of things have been happening since my last update.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-trT0K1r0aZY/VI14ngqHz0I/AAAAAAAAANk/JvgB273Y-kk/s1600/engaged.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-trT0K1r0aZY/VI14ngqHz0I/AAAAAAAAANk/JvgB273Y-kk/s1600/engaged.gif" /></a></div><br />One of the main things is that my partner John proposed to me, so we are now engaged!&nbsp; I must admit I didn’t expect it at all and I was absolutely taken back and surprised.&nbsp; We’ve been together for about 3 and a half years and getting engaged was my dream.&nbsp; Well, getting married was my dream, but this is a big step towards it!&nbsp; I am thrilled that I have on my agenda to organise for us to get married.&nbsp; We are hoping to plan it for early next year depending on how the organising goes.&nbsp; Luckily I never wanted a big wedding, so that fits in with not having the means for it!&nbsp; For me the main thing is that John proposed and that we will be married.&nbsp; One of my dreams is coming true.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9RQFXHyZk8g/VI16q7T2QjI/AAAAAAAAAOA/WUykNKFOPFQ/s1600/stabletestresult.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9RQFXHyZk8g/VI16q7T2QjI/AAAAAAAAAOA/WUykNKFOPFQ/s1600/stabletestresult.gif" /></a></div><span id="goog_1422558765"></span><span id="goog_1422558766"></span>The other big news is that I had my 3 monthly follow up blood test and I am glad to say that my cancer is currently stable.&nbsp; Following all my most recent treatments, my tumour marker had dropped to 33, in October.&nbsp; It had risen slightly to 36 a few weeks later but my most latest result was 35 – a drop of one point!&nbsp; I am very happy about this.&nbsp; It’s always a nerve-wracking time taking blood for the tumour marker test.&nbsp; I get very nervous and fearful of the reading.&nbsp;&nbsp; I don’t think it ever gets easier but I’m trying to learn how to deal with it as calmly as possible.&nbsp; The doctors also wanted to do a CT scan but I refused as I had a clear scan fairly recently and I am trying my best to avoid further radiation – they only want a CT scan to be able to offer more chemo and I really don’t want that.<br /><br />Another recent development was a consultation I had with an oncologist who has an interest in alternative methods as well as conventional treatments.&nbsp; He suggested a few off-label drugs for me to consider.&nbsp; Off-label drugs are drugs that can have a beneficial in treating medical problems that they were not originally intended for.&nbsp; One of these was Low Dose Naltrexone.&nbsp; I’ve been told by a couple of other alternative doctors in the past that this might be beneficial and there seems to be lots of evidence on the internet that it can shrink tumours and help control ovarian cancer.&nbsp; There are also apparently clinical trials now being conducted with it.&nbsp; It is something I’ve tried in the past but I thought I would give it another go.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Unfortunately I had to stop it fairly soon as I was getting hallucinations and fears.&nbsp; I was very disappointed about this as it did sound promising but I tried my best and it is obviously not for me.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ssa5OyrgOO4/VI1-YzYbV-I/AAAAAAAAAOc/_Cpjr_bM0Yk/s1600/OffLabelDrugs.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ssa5OyrgOO4/VI1-YzYbV-I/AAAAAAAAAOc/_Cpjr_bM0Yk/s1600/OffLabelDrugs.gif" /></a></div><br />Another off-label drug that was recommended to me was metformin.&nbsp; This drug is normally used for diabetic patients but there are some active studies looking into its use for treating cancer.&nbsp;&nbsp; It is well known that cancer feeds on sugar, so I can see how a medication that controls levels of sugar in the blood could be a useful aid to fighting cancer.&nbsp; So, I am in a process of trying to get hold of it.&nbsp; I’ve been referred to a private clinic that is doing a study on metformin for treating cancer, so this may be an option. <br /><br />I’m also looking into one other off-label drug that was recommended to me – artesunate.&nbsp; This is a form of artemisinin - a herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine - and it is most commonly used to treat malaria.&nbsp; Again, this has been shown to have beneficial effects against cancer and some clinics abroad already offer infusions of this as part of their treatment programmes.&nbsp; I’ve identified a private clinic in the UK though that may be able to prescribe this for me.<br /><br />In the meantime, I am continuing the supplement regime put together by the medical herbalist I saw in October and I’ve got a follow-up appointment with him in January.<br /><br />So, I have few things on the go that will both keep me busy (researching new treatments) and happy (getting married!).<br /><br />Thank you for reading and thank you for everyone for their onging support with my <a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Beatacinkler" target="_blank">fundraising appeal</a>.<br /><br />Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-86944571108772972612014-11-01T11:13:00.004+00:002014-11-01T11:13:51.352+00:00Clinical Trial DisappointmentI just wanted to do a quick update.<br /><br />First of all I’d like to express my huge thanks for all the donations that have been made. Thank you for the Rock Choir members who were kind enough to have a look at my blog and generously donate.&nbsp; I really appreciate it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UXPwo4VCWIM/VFS5EImYojI/AAAAAAAAANA/QE5z_A_ymAY/s1600/BloodCount.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UXPwo4VCWIM/VFS5EImYojI/AAAAAAAAANA/QE5z_A_ymAY/s1600/BloodCount.gif" /></a></div>I took another blood test on the 20th October and my tumour marker went down to 33, 2 points under the normal limit of 35 that I needed to achieve to qualify for the clinical trial of the new PARP Inhibitor drug.&nbsp;&nbsp; However, I had one more hurdle to overcome – my blood counts were too low to go ahead and the window of opportunity to start the trial was running out.&nbsp; I had less than one week left to get my blood counts up.<br /><br />I agreed to have a blood transfusion over the weekend and re-tested my blood on the Monday.&nbsp; My red blood cells were now up to the required level, but my white blood cells where still too low.&nbsp; The doctors gave me one more chance to test my white&nbsp; blood cells on Wednesday but unfortunately they were still too low.&nbsp; Nobody can explain why my white blood cells were so low, as my last chemo was 8 weeks ago, so it should have recovered by now, but my view is that it may have been caused by stopping all my supplements (which are prohibited on the trial), as these had been supporting my immune system.<br /><br />Anyway, I was quite upset at first that I didn’t qualify for the clinical trial, but after a while I accepted that it was just not meant to be.&nbsp; I’d done everything I could to try to get on to the trial but as I see it now, the universe just didn’t want me to go on that path.<br /><br />So, what now!&nbsp; I saw a very experienced medical herbalist few a weeks ago who suggested a completely new supplement regime to support my body’s natural defences.&nbsp; I’m going to start this and I hope it will make a difference. <br /><br />The doctors at the hospital have arranged for another CT scan and blood test to check my tumour marker in 5 weeks time.&nbsp; Although my last two CT scans showed no visible disease and my tumour marker is now within the normal range, it is almost certain that some cancer cells remain and that it will start growing back quite soon.&nbsp; I’ve been told to expect this to happen sooner than with my previous remission, which was only 7 months long.&nbsp; However, despite this, the doctors have no other treatments that they can offer me under the NHS until they see the disease on the CT scan, as there are no approved drugs for use in my situation.&nbsp; <br /><br />I’m not happy with this watch-and-wait approach, as it seems to me that it is better to try to fight the cancer when it’s weaker rather than wait for it to grow stronger again, so I’m exploring what other private treatment options there are that I could possibly pursue now to improve my longer term prospects.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V2bIhPN09Zo/VFS7k-DWjGI/AAAAAAAAANU/bF-CFSNcTmA/s1600/immunotherapy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V2bIhPN09Zo/VFS7k-DWjGI/AAAAAAAAANU/bF-CFSNcTmA/s1600/immunotherapy.jpg" /></a></div>I am particularly keen on immunotherapy type treatments, which I feel offer more chance of a real breakthrough, rather than simply buying more time.&nbsp; These treatments do not try to kill cancer cells with toxic chemicals, like chemo, but instead they train the body’s own immune system to fight off the cancer.&nbsp; There are two different types of immunotherapy treatments that I’m currently looking into:&nbsp;&nbsp; Dendritic Cell Therapy and Immunepheresis.&nbsp; I am still in the process of researching these and thinking through what to do next but I do feel that I need to do something fairly soon before the cancer takes over again.&nbsp; This is where I need your help and your donations to my fundraising appeal will make a difference.&nbsp; <br /><br />That’s all from me for now.&nbsp; I will keep you informed.<br /><br />Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-17053284518519341672014-10-15T16:42:00.003+01:002014-10-15T22:39:11.065+01:00Update and Budwig Protocol<b>Update on My Progress </b><br /><br />I’m sorry I haven’t posted for quite a while but I’ve been extremely busy with treatments over the last 6 weeks.&nbsp; These have all finished now though, so I wanted to share with you what’s been happening and also give you some information about my favourite alternative anti-cancer protocol.<br /><br />So, where shall I start – there’s quite a lot to tell you about?&nbsp; I had my final chemo session on 9th September (number 6 of 6) and flew out to Austria the same day to begin several weeks of additional treatment there that I hoped would boost my response and get my tumour marker down into the normal range.&nbsp; My all important tumour marker, which indicates how much active cancer there is, was 51 at this point.&nbsp; The normal range is under 35.&nbsp; If you get under 35 and there are no signs of cancer on the CT scans, you are officially “in remission”.&nbsp; However, this number has an even greater significance for me.&nbsp; I have also, been offered the possibility of a new trial drug, which has shown promising signs in early trials, but I can only have this if my tumour marker goes down to 35!&nbsp; Having come down already from 7,756 to 51, I was tantalisingly close.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-db2ZOsP1kTo/VD5v36UuR_I/AAAAAAAAAMc/hh932kL_oRs/s1600/CA125-20141015.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-db2ZOsP1kTo/VD5v36UuR_I/AAAAAAAAAMc/hh932kL_oRs/s1600/CA125-20141015.gif" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Tumour Marker Chart!</td></tr></tbody></table>To qualify for the trial drug, the trial doctors also needed access to my tumour sample.&nbsp; However, when the they went to look for it they couldn’t find it!&nbsp; I was told by the hospital that they has “exhausted all avenues” to locate it and that they “fear it may never be found”.&nbsp; You can imagine my disbelief when I found this out.&nbsp; Not only would this mean that I would not be eligible for the new trial drug that I’d been put forward for but probably also any new trial drugs in the future.&nbsp; Anyway, to cut a long story short, after several phone calls, emails and a formal complaint, the hospital put in the extra resources needed to carry out a thorough search of the pathology lab and they did eventually find it!&nbsp; So, after a great deal of anxiety we now had the tumour sample and could go back to focusing on getting my tumour marker down.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-745_4UYqDe4/VD5rWUbndwI/AAAAAAAAAL8/SwHMZ9Hnfiw/s1600/Hyperthermia.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-745_4UYqDe4/VD5rWUbndwI/AAAAAAAAAL8/SwHMZ9Hnfiw/s1600/Hyperthermia.gif" /></a></div><b>Treatments in Austria&nbsp; </b><br /><br />So, back to my treatments in Austria.&nbsp; The treatment regime there was very intense.&nbsp; I spent 6-7 hours a day in the clinic receiving treatments every day, except weekends.&nbsp; The core part of the treatment was various types of <a href="http://www.dr-kleef.at/en/whole_body_hyperthermia" target="_blank">hyperthermia</a>, where they raise your body temperature to fever levels.&nbsp; I also had infusions of high dose vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acoid and taurolin.&nbsp; It was very tiring but unlike chemotherapy, all of the treatments were safe and non-toxic.&nbsp; The key thing for me though, was would it get my tumour marker down?&nbsp; I had another blood test on Monday of this week to check my tumour marker and it had gone down to 37 – just 2 points above where I needed it to be!&nbsp; I have one more week to go before the opportunity for the trial drug expires, so I have everything crossed that it will go down another 2 points or more before next week.&nbsp; I then have to hope that I don’t get the placebo, as it is a randomised controlled trial and there is a 1 in 3 chance of getting the placebo instead of the trial drug.&nbsp; It does seem that you have to have a lot of luck on your side when fighting cancer!<br /><br /><h2><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Budwig Cancer Protocol</span></span></h2><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qsUT_FQ4kkM/VD5r8Hu8hCI/AAAAAAAAAME/bMndyn0p4B8/s1600/johannabudwig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qsUT_FQ4kkM/VD5r8Hu8hCI/AAAAAAAAAME/bMndyn0p4B8/s1600/johannabudwig.jpg" height="200" width="143" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Johanna Budwig</td></tr></tbody></table>I also wanted to write something about the Budwig Protocol which I feel is one of the best alternative cancer therapies that I’ve come across.&nbsp; Immediately after I was diagnosed in June 2012, Chila, my sister, and John started researching the seemingly endless advice on the internet about alternative cancer treatments and came across the Budwig Protocol.&nbsp; This seemed to be one of the most established and successful alternative cancer protocols around, so I started it as soon as I recovered from my surgery.<br /><br />The protocol was developed by a German biochemist called Dr Johanna Budwig, a seven-times Nobel Prize nominee.&nbsp; She passed away in 2003, at the age of 95, but spent much of her lifetime conducting clinical research into natural cancer treatments based around oils.&nbsp; Dr Budwig found that by combining flaxseed oil with the sulphurated amino acids found in cottage cheese, the oil would become water soluble and available for use by the body’s cells. This in turn would help carry more oxygen to the cells, helping to fight the cancer.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v2HM__MxR9I/VD5tAZVxziI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/ix2CL8xPSa8/s1600/BudwigMixture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v2HM__MxR9I/VD5tAZVxziI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/ix2CL8xPSa8/s1600/BudwigMixture.jpg" /></a></div>The protocol she developed involves taking a blended mixture of flaxseed oil and cottage cheese twice a day, together with ground flax seeds.&nbsp; For lunch a fresh salad is recommended with some cooked vegetables.&nbsp; For dinner a vegetable soup with spices, especially turmeric is recommended.&nbsp; A very small amount of ‘healthful’ cheese is allowed during the day, as it contains vitamin K2, which is a cancer fighter.&nbsp; In the evening a glass of organic red wine is allowed, as it has resveratrol in it, which is a also a cancer fighter.<br /><br />In addition to the dietary advice, Dr Budwig also advised going outside for at least one 30 minutes walk each day and trying to get as much sunshine as you can.&nbsp; As well as offering vitamin D benefits, the sunshine interacts with the electrons in the oils to help more oxygen reach the cells.&nbsp; Furthermore, 20-30 minutes meditation is recommended for relaxation and Dr Budwig recommends regular coffee enemas for detoxification of the liver and to help with pain management.&nbsp; I will post more about coffee enemas another time as that is a big subject on its own!<br /><br />There is an excellent internet <a href="https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FlaxSeedOil2/info" target="_blank">Yahoo support group for the Budwig Protocol</a>, with over 20,000 members.&nbsp; This has much more detailed advice on the protocol if you are interested, as well as a very active and helpful forum.<br /><br />It’s hard to say for definite that the Budwig protocol has helped me, as I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t done it, but I can say that while I was on the protocol I felt very well and full of energy most of the time.&nbsp; People were also commenting on how well I looked, as it did wonders for my skin!&nbsp; Obviously for me, this protocol wasn’t strong enough to get rid of my cancer on its own, but there are many people who have healed themselves using the Budwig Protocol alone.<br /><br />Just a little tip for the Budwig mixture.&nbsp; Some people find it difficult to take in the recommended amount of oil into their body.&nbsp; I found it helps to add small amounts of fruit like bananas and berries, honey or cocoa powder.&nbsp;&nbsp; All of these additions are compatible with the protocol and give it a very edible and pleasant taste.&nbsp; I sometimes made ice cream from it and enjoyed it as a dessert.<br /><br />That’s it from me for this post!&nbsp; I’ll post again when I have some more news. Thank you for all your kind wishes and support during my journey, I really appreciate it.<br /><br />Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-75068988686948230982014-09-06T20:36:00.001+01:002014-09-16T23:09:47.819+01:00Causes Of My Cancer<div class="MsoNormal">I would like to start this post by thanking everybody who has donated to my fundraising appeal. &nbsp;I have been touched by the number of responses I have received and by everyone’s generosity. &nbsp;I really appreciate all the help.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The amount of money raised up until now has helped me to have 8 days of treatment in Austria at an Integrated Oncology Centre, which I believe offers the best treatment options for me. &nbsp;While I was there I had several infusions of high dose vitamin C and alpha lipoic acid, and also several sessions of local hypothermia and mild whole body hypothermia. &nbsp;The clinic has been treating people with these treatments for 23 years with very good results and the doctor in charge has an excellent international reputation, so it really does offer me more hope for the future.This is the video showing some of the treatment undertaken at the clinic:&nbsp;<a href="http://youtu.be/3DYTp--zbPI">http://youtu.be/3DYTp--zbPI</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, the treatment regime involves more extensive treatment in the near future and then after this it is likely that I will need to go back for a number of follow up visits. &nbsp;I’ll only be able to cover the cost of all of this with the help of the fundraising, so your help really does make a difference.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I thought I would share with you in this post, what I think were the main causes of my illness. &nbsp;In future posts I’ll talk more about some of the steps I’ve taken in my battle to regain my health.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I am convinced that the cancer happened to me because of three main reasons:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My Diet</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4VfM5GMjqto/VAtebNWsEDI/AAAAAAAAAGM/hvLStNdctUs/s1600/chocolate-bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4VfM5GMjqto/VAtebNWsEDI/AAAAAAAAAGM/hvLStNdctUs/s1600/chocolate-bar.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I was a sweet addict. &nbsp;Before my diagnosis I used to eat large amounts of chocolate almost every single day (it was my comfort food!). &nbsp; I drank virtually no water and instead drank around 2 litres of orange juice a day (yet more sugar!). &nbsp;My food intake wasn’t the healthiest either. &nbsp;I didn’t eat that much processed food but I used to cook infrequently and eat the cooked food over a number of days, so it was rarely freshly cooked and the nutritional value of the food probably wasn’t that great. &nbsp;I didn’t eat very many fresh vegetables and tended to eat meals that required little time in the kitchen!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stress</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P_i5gbs46UI/VAtemno3QdI/AAAAAAAAAGU/34Li5NJ-HPY/s1600/Stress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P_i5gbs46UI/VAtemno3QdI/AAAAAAAAAGU/34Li5NJ-HPY/s1600/Stress.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">My stress level was and still is very high - I tend to stress out about everything. &nbsp;I think this may be my biggest challenge of all. I’ve been like this as long as I can remember. &nbsp;Lots of studies have shown that stress plays a massive role in the development of cancer. &nbsp;I am working hard on it though and I am on the road of learning how to manage and reduce my stress level and bring healing to myself.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My Lifestyle</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAILxdrHZNM/VAtfnwQLTKI/AAAAAAAAAGo/h-1PbW9X4DE/s1600/overtraining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAILxdrHZNM/VAtfnwQLTKI/AAAAAAAAAGo/h-1PbW9X4DE/s1600/overtraining.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I used to smoke and only quit about 3 years before my diagnosis and for the 2 years leading up to my diagnosis I lived in the damp basement bedsit, with very little natural light. &nbsp;I tended to stay indoors a lot, so didn’t get much fresh air and sunshine. &nbsp;I did exercise most days on an exercise bike (mainly to burn off the chocolate!) but this tended to be extremely intense exercise, which I now know can lead to a variety of health problems. &nbsp;I also worked as a dental nurse, so was regularly in contact with mercury and other toxic chemicals, which were probably also helping to overload my body’s defence systems.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I am in a process of addressing all three of these causes, but I do need time for that. &nbsp;I started as soon as I got diagnosed and immediately made radical changes to my diet and lifestyle. &nbsp;I am researching and studying all the time to learn how to manage my stress and I try my best to put this into practice every day through meditation and other techniques.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I go out for walks and fresh air every time I feel strong enough and I am looking forward to start yoga straight after I recover from my treatment.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">That’s it for now. &nbsp;Next time I’ll share with you some of the things I've done to try to tackle my cancer.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/beatacinkler" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wSM9fUK_6mU/U--qbGYHLhI/AAAAAAAAAF0/ev-gKrLrKK0/s1600/CancerAppealLogo_100x100.png" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div><br /></div>Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490308408752858856.post-65988573699554482262014-08-10T13:47:00.003+01:002014-09-06T20:38:15.587+01:00Welcome To My Blog<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">Hi everybody - welcome to my blog!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">This is my very first blog post.&nbsp; I’ve never written a blog before, so please bear with me as I find my way.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">Let me introduce myself.&nbsp; My name is Beata and I am 40 years old.&nbsp; I am originally from Serbia but moved to the UK about 15 years ago and now live in Surrey with my partner John and his two children.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gOC8kBRAa6s/U-do6ANEYSI/AAAAAAAAADo/vhu2QEYM9RY/s1600/Harry+Potter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gOC8kBRAa6s/U-do6ANEYSI/AAAAAAAAADo/vhu2QEYM9RY/s1600/Harry+Potter.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">I’m the one in the front!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">In July 2012, at the age of 38, I was given the devastating news that I had advanced ovarian cancer.&nbsp; I was told that I may only have 2 years to live and a maximum of 8 if I am very lucky.&nbsp; When most people have a mid-life crisis they do something like climb a mountain or maybe start up a new career, for me it’s a very different type of challenge – a <b>mid-life cancer crisis</b>.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">Throughout my life I’ve faced many difficult challenges but none bigger than this one.&nbsp; I have fought hard to get here today, so I’m not willing to accept that my life may be snatched away from me so soon.&nbsp; I am planning to be very, very lucky and live another 50 years but I know I have a very big fight on my hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--fgkVPEB7LQ/U-dpWaHJ-GI/AAAAAAAAADw/iSbQ4UKeysw/s1600/Short+Hair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--fgkVPEB7LQ/U-dpWaHJ-GI/AAAAAAAAADw/iSbQ4UKeysw/s1600/Short+Hair.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoPlainText"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">Me with no hair after chemo!</span></i></div><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></i><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">I am starting this blog for anyone who is interested in following what I am doing, seeing how I am progressing and finding out what I have found useful in my battle with cancer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">Since I was diagnosed in July 2012, I have tried many different approaches to fight my cancer and have learnt a great deal in the process.&nbsp; I want to share some of my experiences here in the hope that it will help others.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">There are people who say that cancer cannot be cured unless you address the cause as well as the symptoms.&nbsp; I firmly believe this.&nbsp; I am convinced my cancer started because of my unhealthy food intake, my lifestyle and the level of stress I was under; basically I was struggling to control my stress.&nbsp; Since then I have read masses of books and information on the internet and I have drastically changed my diet and lifestyle.&nbsp; I now eat healthily and lead a much healthier lifestyle.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">The stress part of my illness is the trickiest one.&nbsp; I am reading as much as I can about mindfulness, stress reduction, endless quantum possibilities, and meditation and, I must say, at times I feel my stress level is better.&nbsp; So, I’m sure that if I keep practicing, reading and listening to lectures as much as I can and I will get there.&nbsp; I will eventually become a little Buddha!&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">But I need to gain time to achieve that and at the moment time is not on my side.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">From the research I’ve done I’ve found that there are treatments available abroad in specialist cancer clinics that are not available in the UK, as well as additional supplements, which could really help and give me the time I need to become healthy and reduce the stress that caused the cancer in the first place.&nbsp; But, as all this has to be paid for privately, I can’t afford to do this on my own.&nbsp; So, I have I have set up a <a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Beatacinkler" target="_blank">fundraising appeal</a>to try to raise the money I need to fund this. &nbsp;I know that everyone has their own battles to fight but if you feel you can help in any way that would be great.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is the link:</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Beatacinkler" target="_blank">Visit My Fundraising Appeal</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That’s it for now!&nbsp; Join me as I journey through the biggest fight of my life and I’ll do my best to share with you what has helped me and what hasn’t.</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/beatacinkler" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jh-JkvtHo38/U--rMETJxWI/AAAAAAAAAF8/Gby7xILbMM4/s1600/CancerAppealLogo_150x150.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Beata Cinklerhttps://plus.google.com/105944203751909681240noreply@blogger.com0